Having completed two very different Adventures By Disney tours, we are now self-acclaimed ABD experts. Ask us anything about ABD, and chances are we have an answer. (Check out our FAQ’s blog here.)
What we love about the two itineraries that we’ve done, Ireland and the Seine River Cruise, is how contrasting they are. From the amount of guests, to the modes of transportation, to adult only vs. kid friendly, we now have a solid grasp of what these different ABD trips entail. We loved and appreciated both itineraries for a multitude of reasons, so why not break it down a little? Here are the main differences between both itineraries, and why we’d do both of them again in a heartbeat. (ABD, please take us everywhere!)
ADVENTURING ON LAND VS. BY BOAT
One of the biggest differences between our Ireland trip with ABD and our Seine River Cruise was the mode of transportation. We spent eight days traveling through Ireland on a (very luxurious and plush) motorcoach. While we didn’t change hotels every night, we did move to different locations every couple of days. Typically we don’t enjoy moving around that much, but on this trip we didn’t mind one bit. The ABD team makes travel so easy and effortless, we never even had to move our bags, they did everything for us. We also weren’t sure how we would enjoy traveling by motorcoach, but we actually loved it. The big windows, the thoughtful and fascinating commentary by our Adventure Guides, the cozy seats… it ended up being a perfect way to see and experience the rolling green hills of Ireland.
Now for our Seine River Cruise, we spent eight days sightseeing through France on the breathtakingly chic AMAWaterways’ Amalyra. While we did hop on a handful of motor coaches during our river cruise, the majority of our travel was done by boat. This was our first time on a river cruise, and it definitely won’t be our last. The ride was incredibly smooth (Bobby never even thought about wearing his seasick bands or taking nausea meds!), and the views from our stateroom were ever-changing and consistently stunning. We loved that while we woke up to a new destination almost daily, we never had to pack/unpack. We always had our same charming room to come home to, and having the same “homebase” for eight days was really quite a treat.
Luxury motor coach with amazing guides is a great way to travel
On of our favorite spots in Ireland - Temple Bar!
Can you see our ship?
We were obsessed with the rooftop spa aboard the Amalyra
Incredible views
Bobby never got seasick!
New friends :)
SMALL GROUP VS. LARGE GROUP
Because of limited space on motor coaches and ample space on a river cruise, our trip along the Seine was over double the amount of guests than our Ireland adventure (90 guests on the cruise, 30 guests on the motorcoach).
Since the Ireland trip was significantly smaller, we became very close with most of the guests. Since we all did almost everything together, bonding was quick and easy. It was rare that our group was separated or split up, so it truly felt like one big family. Saying goodbye at the end of the trip was emotional - how were we supposed to travel without each other?! If you’re looking for a more intimate experience, the ABD land trips are the way to go.
On the Seine River Cruise, we never felt like there were “too many people”. If anything, we were surprised at how easy it was to make friends and get to know the other passengers. While we obviously couldn’t become best friends with everyone on board, by the end of our trip we felt like we knew a good majority of the guests. We’d take turns sitting with different familiar faces at dinner, and find ourselves chit-chatting with other couples on the many excursions and activities. There was always someone new to talk to - which we loved.
Regardless of the tour size, you’re bound to make new friends!
So many memories!
FAMILY TOURS VS. ADULT ONLY
One thing that we really love and appreciate about ABD itineraries is how well they cater them for families and for adults. The Adventure Guides are pros at engaging and entertaining guests of ALL ages - which is quite a talent! In Ireland, we had kids in our group from ages four to twelve, and all of them had the time of their lives. We loved seeing history come to life for them, and seeing their faces light up with each new location. From chocolate making classes to scavenger hunts around ancient ruins, the “Junior Adventurers” were never bored, and the parents always seemed very thankful for the extra childcare! ;)
We were really curious to see how an Adult-Only itinerary varies from a family trip (especially since our adult-only days are growing increasingly numbered). We were pleased to find out that the adult focused trips are just as fun as ones with families, but in a different kind of way. Walking tours usually included some sort of wine or liquor tasting, evenings typically had a social hour, and dinners felt a tad more refined and elegant. If you don’t have kids or are looking for a getaway without your littles in tow, the ABD adult-only trips are the way to go.
French chocolate making!
We’ll be back with our little ones some day!
TWO ADVENTURE GUIDES VS. EIGHT ADVENTURE GUIDE
The other big difference between our two ABD trips is the amount of Adventure Guides we had. Since Ireland was a smaller group, we had two Adventure Guides (we miss you Landon and Stephen!) with us the entirety of the trip. We got to know both of them extremely well, and we still find ourselves referencing their jokes or silly quirks on the daily. By the end of the trip, we felt weird traveling without them. Who was going to tell us the historic facts, or feed us the “snack of the day?” It was a grieving process for sure…
Having had such a special bond with the two of them, we were a little uneasy by the dynamics of having so many Adventure Guides on our Seine River Cruise. How were we ever going to click with them like we did with Landon and Stephen?! Well friends, spoiler alert, we clicked. With all of them. Having eight Adventure Guides was actually incredible, as we got to know all of them individually throughout the trip. We learned that Michaela has a witty response for EVERYTHING, that Veronika has a full-circle life story that will make you cry, that Hugo would eat creme brulee for the rest of his life if he could, that Clement knows the absolute best places to go in Rouen… need we continue? The Adventure Guides each brought something unique to the group that had us excited for our daily debriefs. Consistent with our guides from our land adventure (and we now believe all ABD adventures), they all had such energetic and fun personalities, and we really can’t imagine the trip without each one of them.
Welcome dinner with ABD guides!
We can’t stress enough how amazing the Adventure Guides are!
BREAKING IT ALL DOWN…
Ultimately, both trips solidified our love (and obsession) with Adventures By Disney. And if we’re being honest, we’re pretty sure we can’t do an accurate ABD review until we’ve gone on ALL the tours. So, hit us up in about ten years, after we’ve traveled with the ABD family to Egypt, Austria, Peru, China, South Africa, Iceland, Australia, Vietnam, Spain….